Vegetable-cutter.



Patented Aug. I, 1899.

W. R. WILLIAMS. VEGETABLE CUTTER.

Application filed July 11, 1898.)

Z W 0m WW (No Model.)

UNIInn TATES ATIET FFICE.

\VILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, OF PHILIPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES L. \VILI IAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

VEGETABLE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,155, dated August 1, 1899.

Application filed July 11, 1898. serial No. 685,686. (No model.)

To n/ZZ wlmnt it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philips-burg, inthe county of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Vegetable Outter, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to fruit and vegetable cutters of that class embodying a hopper and a knife-frame adapted to move across the discharge-opening of the hopper.

The object of the invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in the mounting and arrangement of the knifeframe, wherebya simpler and more easily-operated device is produced.

To this end, therefore, the present invention consist-s in certain novel features which will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a rear perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 0000 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line a of Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, the hopper of the device comprises a bottom 1 and two side pieces 2 and a rear inclined chute 3 to facilirate the placing of the fruit or vegetable to be sliced. The hopper thus formed constitutes the general body of the device and is supported by means of two side or corner feet at and a rear foot 5, forming a triangular base. The side feet, it will be observed, extend in a diagonal direction part way across the bottom of the hopper, to which they are fastened, and extend beyond the corners thereof, forming an extension-base to prevent wabbling or upsetting of the device.

The front of the hopper is extended upward and above the latter for a suitable distance, forming an arm 6, and a door or follower 7 is cut therefrom, forming an opening 9 the full width and height of the hopper. This follower is hinged at its top to the arm 6 by means of any ordinary or suitable springhinge 8, so that when the follower is in closed position it fits snugly within the opening 9 and is flush with the outside of the hopper.

A suitable handle 10 is provided upon the follower, whereby the latter may be operated. The bottom of the hopper is provided with a pair of longitudinal strips 11, wherebya round apple or potato or the like will be prevented from turning or rolling when being sliced. 6c

The bottom edge of the follower is provided with grooves or notches 12 to receive the strips 11 when the follower is closed.

The cutting mechanism comprises a segmental board or frame 13, composed of two sections 26 and 27, which are connected together by means of marginal strips 28 at the top and bottom of the sections. The inner opposing ends of these sections are spaced apart, one of them being beveled outward,

forming the oblique knife-slot 14, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 4. The inner face of the section 26 next the knife-opening is notched or recessed, as at 15, to receive the knife blade 16, which is mounted in position by means of screws 18. The cutting edge 17 of the knife-blade overlaps the slot 14 and is arranged parallel with the edge of the slot.

To-provide for adjusting the device to cut thick or thin slices, the section 27 is connected to the marginal strips 28 nearits outer ex tremity by means of screws 29 or a single bolt extending clear through from top to bottom and forms a pivot upon which the section may be turned toward or away from the knife, as will be understood. The section 27 is held in its adjusted position by means adjustment is clearly indicated in Fig. 5, in 5 which the section 27 is shown swung away from the knife to obtain a thick out. By this arrangement the knife is never moved from its normal position, and thus is always firm and does not become loose by adjustment, roo as in other such devices where the knifeblade itself is adjusted. The object of hav- By loosening the screws 29 the sec- 0 ing the knife arranged at an angle is to ob tain a drawing or sliding cut, which is more effective than if the knife were drawn straight across the fruit or vegetable. This frame is mounted in an operative position by means of a suspending-arm 19, secured to the frame to one side of the slot 14 therein and pivoted to the upperend of arm 6 by means of a bolt 20, arranged over the center of the hopperopening 9. Ihis arm is provided with a suitable operating-handle 21 and is spaced away from the arm 6 by means of a washer 22,

which takes up wear and disposes the swinging arm so that the knife-frame may move freely between said arm and the front of the hopper. The handle 21 is formed by offsetting the lower end of the suspending-arm 19 away fromthedischarge-opening of the hopper, and the knife-frame is connected to the inner face of the offset portion, whereby the frame is properly disposed'with relation to thedischarge-opening of the hopper. A rod 23 connects the frame with the pivot-bolt 20 to more substantially mount the said frame.

To guide the swinging frame in its move ment, the rear foot 5 extends beyond the front of the hopper and swinging frame and is provided with a shoulder 24, forming a guiding groove or notch 25, receiving the lower edge of the frame and preventing the same from moving out or away from the device. By this arrangement the knife will always be in its proper position and cannot miss cutting at each stroke of the frame.

In the operation of the device the hinged door or follower 7 is first opened bymeans of its handle 10, and the fruit or vegetable to be cut is placed in the hopper, resting between the strips 1.1. Then the spring-operated follower is let down against the fruit or vegetable and acts automatically to feed the latter to the knife. The knife-frame is then operated by grasping the operating-handle 21 and swinging the frame back and forth in front ing 14, and thereby not clog orchoke the knife. By reason of the follower fitting flush with the front of the hopper, as heretofore described, the entire fruit or Vegetable is exposed to the action of the knife without danger of cutting the fingers of the operator, as the follower feeds automatically by the action of the spring-hinge;

This construction and arrangement,as herein described, provides a simple and effective device which is capable of various changes in its form, proportion,and minor details without departing from the spirit and scope or sacrificing anyof the advantages thereof, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement as herein set forth.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut, isn In a vegetable-cutter, the combination of a hopper,comprisinga bottom, two sides, a rearwardly-inclined chute held between the sides and extending partially over the bottom, and longitudinal strips fixed to the bottom in parallel relation and running from the front termination of the chuteto the front end of the hopper, the rear end of the hopper being open, as Well as the top, an arm extended above the front open end of the hopper, a follower having its upper edge hinged to the rear side of a part of the said arm and provided with bot tom edge notches to fit over the said longitudinal strips, and a segmental board or frame pivotally depending in front of and'close to the hopper and provided with a grip for oscillating the same, the said board or frame having a diagonally-disposed adjustable knife therein.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

ROBT. L. ScoTT, WM. E. IRWIN. 

